Archive for the ‘Nissan’ Category

The Nissan R35 GT-R
has been roaming the earth and its darker corners for more than ten years. Considering that the usual life cycle for a car is six or seven years at the most, the R35 GT-R is overdue for a successor. It shows too. The car itself cannot find more than 50 or 60 new buyers each month in the U.S. Things are not looking much better in Japan either, however, Nissan doesn’t seem to be in a rush to reveal a replacement. Latest rumors from the company suggest we will see the next-gen R36 Nissan GT-R
sometime in the early 2020s. The car is apparently on the drawing boards, with the engineers now doing their magic to contemplate what the new Nissan design boss Alfonso Albaisa called “the fastest super sports car in the world.”

The current Nissan GT-R has been around for quite some time now, and it’s in dire need of replacement. Just like the current generation, a concept of the next-gen will arrive before the actual production car. However, the new car won’t borrow styling cues from the Italdesign’s GT-R50 show car. Now, that’s a surprising move!

They say that technologies are making us stupid, and now we know what they’re talking about. There is a new trend going on among car makers as they are trying to make the Rear Door Alert system a thing. Nissan has now upped the game announcing that they will offer this feature as standard on all four-door models by 2022.

The Rear Door Alert is a useful feature to have if you are kind of, well, thick. It sounds the horn and flashes messages on the center instrument panel is you get out of the car and leave something in the backseats. Of course, we have all done that, but a few seconds later remembered and went back to get the item we had forgotten. So this fancy and much-publicized feature is designed to potentially save 20 seconds for you. Thank you, Nissan.

That said, we suppose Nissan’s Rear Door Alert is a good feature for the Americans to have, because we often read in the news they sometimes forget their kids in the backseat. What such technologies do to you, though, is to further dull a mind that has already been sanded smooth by the smartphones and Netflix and Instagram. If you rely on your own brain, you may get things wrong a few times, but at least you exercise it, keep it in workable order.

“I’m proud to see Nissan lead the way by making Rear Door Alert standard on more models,” said Marlene Mendoza, a mechanical engineer who helped create the technology. “What started as a chat with my colleague, Elsa Foley, is now innovative technology being adopted in more Nissan models. It is a testament to Nissan’s culture.”

The Nissan Titan is already one of the most capable pickups in the market, but even something as impressive as the Titan isn’t immune to added improvements. That’s why Nissan, in partnership with Icon Vehicle Dynamics, is now offering a way to lift the Titan’s suspension, increasing the Titan’s suspension by up to three inches, giving owners of the pickup more reason to enjoy the outdoors.

Hello there! You’re probably asking yourselves where I’ve been lately. Well, it’s none of your business. But since you’re reading this, I just came here to tell you that I told you so! Oh, wait, that’s not very specific. I told you that the Nissan Leaf Nismo would suck. I did that in October 2017, when Nissan launched the concept car. Now it’s July 2018, and we have a production model that looks like the concept but sucks where it matters most.

Since the introduction of the first Nissan Leaf, the automotive world has been quite eager to see what the Nissan performance division Nismo can do with the electric hatch. The race-ready Nismo Leaf RC was the first one to appear, but it was just too radical. Then, over the years, Nissan played around with some pseudo spirited versions never giving us a true Nismo Leaf. All that until October 25, 2017, when the Japanese company showcased the Nissan Leaf Nismo Concept.

Fast forward to today.

Nine months of the gestation period gave birth to a Leaf Nismo only available in Japan and wearing much the same attire as the concept version. Yet, I am far more interested in what Nismo did to that 147 horsepower drivetrain.

At the end of this month something momentous happens for the EVs the world over. That is when the new Nissan LEAF NISMO will go on sale in Japan, a car that blends zero-emission, electric drive with sporty looks and dynamics. The LEAF NISMO will reach the global market eventually, though it is not clear when yet.

Based on the 2018 LEAF, the Nissan LEAF NISMO boasts many advanced technologies that, on their own, make this car a must-have for the tech-savvy crowd. It features e-Pedal and the ProPILOT and ProPILOT Park autonomous driving. And though Nisan does not specify the power output numbers for the NISMO, they have 18-inch high-grip tires and custom suspension, as well as custom-tuned electric power steering and Intelligent Trace Control with cornering stabilization system. So it is fair to say this one drivers a lot better than the regular LEAF.

As for the design, Nissan LEAF NISMO has sporty, sculpted bumpers with red accenting, chunky side skirts, and a pronounced rear diffuser, also with red details, as its main highlights, plus a set of 18 inch aluminum wheels that minimize air resistance. There are exclusive colors as well, including Brilliant Silver, Super Black two-tone and the Dark Metal Grey and Super Black two-tone. Inside, you will find more NISMO red accents, including a three-spoke steering wheel with a red center marks, custom carbon-like finish for the instrument, and gun metal chrome finish for the electric shift.

Nissan’s UK production plant in Sunderland is world famous for its efficiency and quality. The factory has just earned another feather for the major plumage in its cap as it produced the one millionth Nissan Juke crossover. This is also a great milestone for the Juke itself, an oddball car that proved to be more popular than it looks warrant.

Now, when high-end car makers such as BMW or Mercedes-Benz reach such a milestone they make the milestone car into a special edition or something. With Nissan though, because they make so many cars everyday,they really could not be bothered with all that. So the one millionth Nissan Juke is just like the other cars that rolled off the line that day. That said, the 2018 Juke does offer a lot in way of customization and personalization.

The latest Juke comes with such highlights as dark chrome V-motion grille, dark headlamp interior and dark turn indicators on the door mirrors, new 16-inch and 18-inch alloy wheel designs customizable with color inserts (depending on the trim), Energy Orange and Power Blue interior, as well as black faux-leather seats, arm rest and meter hood with coloured double stitching. It also gets such options as BOSE Personal sound system 360° with speakers built into the driver’s head rest, Nissan’s Intelligent Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection, Lane Departure Warning and Blind Spot Warning.

Kevin Fitzpatrick, Senior Vice President Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management and Purchasing, Nissan Europe, said: “Reaching the one million milestone is a fantastic achievement for any model. “Eight years ago we had never seen anything like the Juke before – it created an entirely new segment and brought a distinctive never-seen-before look to the market. Fast forward to today and we have one million customers and Juke remains the segment leader. “It’s terrific to see that the 2018 model, with all its improvements and personalisation options, is as popular as the version that rolled off the line for the first time in 2010.”

Fresh off of unveiling the limited-run Nissan GT-R50, Nissan is dropping hints about the next-generation GT-R, including claims that it will be the “fastest super sports car in the world.” Nissan design boss Alfonso Albaisa dropped the bombshell at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, adding that the Japanese automaker is in the early phases of designing the new model. There’s no timetable on when the next-gen GT-R will surface, but with the current-generation model already 11 years into its life cycle, it should only be a matter of time before the spawn of Godzilla is introduced to the world.

The 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed is just around the corner, and so are the tremendous sports cars we’re going to see at the event. Among them, there will be the most aggressive and powerful Nissan GT-R ever created. It’s called the GT-R50 and was design in collaboration with Italdesign. But on top of being the most powerful GT-R yet, it will also be the most expensive at a whopping $1 million.

Almost 11 years old as of 2018, the Nissan GT-R is pretty long in the tooth. And, even though sales have dropped dramatically in recent years, Nissan is still keeping the supercar into production with mild upgrades. With a new-generation model underway, the Japanese firm teamed up with Italdesign to build the most extreme GT-R to date. It’s called the GT-R50 and will make its debut at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed later this week.

This year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed will see the debut of something special, the Nissan GT-R50 by Italian design giant, Italdesign. What they have done is take the Japanese supercar and dress it up in an Italian suit, with the result being something kind of weird.

That is not to say Nissan GT-R50 by Italdesign is rubbish or anything. Nothing penned by Italdesign is ever rubbish. But the thing is, they say that if the car receives good reception at the goodwood Festival of Speed, they will put in limited production with a run of 50 bespoke cars, each starting at €900,000. Almost a million Euros for a freaking Nissan?! Now that’s weird.

Then again, Nissan GT-R50 features enough cool features to make GT-R fans swoon. Some of the key highlights of the design include power bulge on the hood, stretched LED headlights, a lowered roofline, and prominent “samurai blade” cooling outlets behind the front wheels, plus a large, adjustable rear wing. The engine has also been upgraded by NISMO to 720 horsepower and 780 Nm of torque, as are the Brembo braking system and Bilstein dampers.

“The Goodwood Festival of Speed is the ideal setting to showcase the Nissan GT-R50 by Italdesign, which combines power and artistry to celebrate 50 years of inspiring the dreams of our customers,” said Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s senior vice president of global design. “Just like the prototype itself, Goodwood is a celebration of design, performance, a little indulgence and a lot of love of historic and future automotive creativity. It’s the perfect setting to showcase a unique vehicle that will stir the imagination of people to dream even bigger.”

While it might be a world-class performance icon, the Nissan GT-R was never really considered “pretty.” However, that all changes with the introduction of the one-off GT-R50 prototype, a collaborative effort between Nissan and the legendary Italian design house, Italdesign. Built to commemorate the overlapping 50th anniversary of both the Skyline GT-R nameplate and the birth of Italdesign, the GT-R50 is rolling eye candy laid atop an engineering masterpiece, bringing form and function into stunning harmony.

To celebrate 50 years of Italdesign creations and the Nissan GT-R nameplate, the coachbuilder and automaker have teamed up to create a one-off prototype called the GT-R50. Considered to be a GT-R without limits, and based on the 2018 GT-R Nismo, this custom Nissan is scheduled to debut next month with heavy modifications – exactly what you would expect from something created by Italdesign.

In a first for the company, Nissan has teamed up with a third-party manufacturer to create a special pickup truck for the European market. The 2018 Nissan Navara Off-Roader AT32 is built in partnership with Arctic Trucks, a heavy-duty, ultra-capable truck specialist.

In order to make the Nissan Navara Off-Roader AT32 the most capable truck Nissan has ever built, AT has jacked it up by 20mm, fitted a front differential locker, and installed a snorkel. These changes are enough to make the AT32 twice as versatile as a standard Navara. But they are not the only mods. The truck also boasts 32-inch offroad tires around 17-inch rims, hence the name, wheel arch extensions, and underbody protection plates covering the engine, transmission, propeller and fuel tank.

The wheels and snorkel give Nissan Navara Off-Roader AT32 a very serious look which is sure to attract many off-road enthusiasts. But this car also has a good backstory that would appeal to green people as well. On World Oceans Day 2018 this truck volunteers for a special challenge in which a campaigning dad and daughter team tackle the issue of beach plastic pollution by doing a large-scale cleanup. Nissan is also inviting community groups across Europe to nominate remote and tough-to-reach beaches or other locations where the Navara could help them clear plastic waste.

Ken Ramirez, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Nissan Europe, said: “The Nissan Navara OFF-ROADER AT32 is the most capable Navara we’ve ever sold. Its mix of enhanced off-road ability and upgraded exterior features will appeal to a new audience of both professional and recreational pickup customers.”

As the current Nissan GT-R is preparing for retirement with a new, hybrid-powered model underway, the race-spec Nismo GT3 was upgraded for the 2019 racing season.

Last revised in 2015, the GT-R Nismo GT3 has now received a new aerodynamic package on the outside and borrowed the recent changes that Nissan rolled out for the road-legal sports car. The race car also boasts an upgraded chassis that includes new suspension components, more durable brakes, and a more reliable transmission. That vehicle that has won many races in series like the Blancpain GT Series and the Super GT, just to name a few, will hit the track with these new upgrades for the 2019 season.

As the current Nissan GT-R is preparing for retirement with a new, hybrid-powered model underway, the race-spec Nismo GT3 was upgraded for the 2019 racing season.

Last revised in 2015, the GT-R Nismo GT3 has now received a new aerodynamic package on the outside and borrowed the recent changes that Nissan rolled out for the road-legal sports car. The race car also boasts an upgraded chassis that includes new suspension components, more durable brakes, and a more reliable transmission. That vehicle that has won many races in series like the Blancpain GT Series and the Super GT, just to name a few, will hit the track with these new upgrades for the 2019 season.

Compact crossovers are the most trendy cars out there at the moment. And like anything else in trend, they have to be customizable, so that customers can make them unique, put their own touch on them, if you will. So we get the Nissan Kicks Color Studio options with a ton of personalization features.

Nissan Kicks Color Studio also includes a comprehensive wheels program. It offers black 10-spoke 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheel or black 10-spoke 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheel with color inserts (both wheels available on Kicks SV and SR grades only). Together with these options, and the new two-tone colors including Super Black/Aspen White, Monarch Orange/Gun Metallic, Super Black/Monarch Orange, Super Black/Cayenne Red and Fresh Powder/Deep Blue Pearl, anyone can make their Kicks as unique as their hairstyle.

“As an affordable compact crossover – with a starting MSRP1 of just $17,990 – Kicks is designed to fit the needs of singles or couples looking for style, personal technology, smart functionality and advanced safety features,” said Mike Soutter, vice president, Aftersales, Nissan North America, Inc. “The Kicks Color Studio adds an affordable way to further personalize the new Kicks, giving buyers the choice of adding just a few or the complete package of factory backed Color Studio accessories.”

Nissan’s tuning and motorsport arm Nismo announced the release of the new 2018 Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 race car. Though they call is a 2018 model, the deliveries won’t begin until January 2019 and for a price of ¥60,000,000, which is about $550,000 USD at the current exchange rate.

For that you get a race car that is an absolute nerd fest in terms of attention to little details and tiny upgrades designed to make the car 0.0001 of a second faster around certain corners. One of the main highlights of the 2018 Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 is the lowered center of gravity combined with a dry sump lubrication system and optimized weight distribution which should result in better handling. There is also newly designed suspension and revised aero package, as well as enhanced rigidity, both flexural and torsional. The 2018 model also gets an optional air conditioning system plus improved brakes. The maintenance cycles are also farther apart now. So all in all, a pretty excellent racing car, though a very expensive one.

“To develop the 2018 model NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3, NISMO, as the official sporting arm of NISSAN, has made full use of the advanced technology and expertise we have gained through our vast experience in racing, and this car is built to be competitive in GT3 racing around the world, ” said Takao Katagiri, CEO of NISMO. “Whilst this is its first year of actual competition, it is already demonstrating its competitiveness, having attained achievements such as a 3rd place podium finish in the Japan ‘s SUPER GT (GT300 class) and a 3rd place overall finish in the Blancpain GT Series Asia. I would like to greatly thank our official partner teams for being the first to choose and demonstrate the full potential of the car and we have high hopes that a number of teams will be competing with the 2018 model NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3.”